1. Are we adding to the objectification of girls by the schools lack of action?
Melissa: I think we are adding to the objectification of girls by the schools lack of action because we do not enforce the dress code.
Tracey: Yes, by our lack of action we are tacitly supporting the objectification of girls.
2. Are we choosing how young ladies are seen in our school?
Melissa: Yes, because we are letting the girls get away with the clothes that they are wearing (tight pants, short skirts).
Tracey: We are not so much CHOOSING how our ladies are seen but ALLOWING them to choose how they want to be seen without giving them any direction, guidelines, advice or support.
3. Is a gender neutral dresscode more appropriate of our environment or does it remove too much individuality?
Melissa: I think a neutral dress code is more appropriate.
Tracey: I don't think the dress code has to be gender neutral but it has to be equally appropriate for both genders. By that I mean that if we feel our dress code should reflect the goals and mission of our school, than both the boys' and girls' dress code has to equally reflect those goals. This is harder to do if the dress codes are different but I really think it comes back to equally enforcing whatever the dress codes are.
4. With the thought of leadership in mind, should we have a separate middle and upper school dresscodes? Middle school being more gender neutral and upper school being more academically orientated?
Melissa: I think it would be a wonderful idea to have two separate dress codes with the Middle School being more gener neutral and the Upper School being more academically orientated.
Tracey: I hate to be an annoying parent but as a "parent", I am very much against separate dress codes. "Families" enter St. Luke's and as a "family" we embrace the values, traditions and missions of the school. These important traits should be consistently reinforced with the students and in my opinion, the message should not differ by age of the child. From a practical standpoint, I can also see morning battles in households if children have different dress requirements. "It's not fair" will be the phrase of the day. I already hear this from my boys when they see how my daughter dresses for school. I really think the message to "families" has to be consistent.
Please add your thoughts below each question.
1. Are we adding to the objectification of girls by the schools lack of action?
Melissa: I think we are adding to the objectification of girls by the schools lack of action because we do not enforce the dress code.
Tracey: Yes, by our lack of action we are tacitly supporting the objectification of girls.
2. Are we choosing how young ladies are seen in our school?
Melissa: Yes, because we are letting the girls get away with the clothes that they are wearing (tight pants, short skirts).
Tracey: We are not so much CHOOSING how our ladies are seen but ALLOWING them to choose how they want to be seen without giving them any direction, guidelines, advice or support.
3. Is a gender neutral dresscode more appropriate of our environment or does it remove too much individuality?
Melissa: I think a neutral dress code is more appropriate.
Tracey: I don't think the dress code has to be gender neutral but it has to be equally appropriate for both genders. By that I mean that if we feel our dress code should reflect the goals and mission of our school, than both the boys' and girls' dress code has to equally reflect those goals. This is harder to do if the dress codes are different but I really think it comes back to equally enforcing whatever the dress codes are.
4. With the thought of leadership in mind, should we have a separate middle and upper school dresscodes? Middle school being more gender neutral and upper school being more academically orientated?
Melissa: I think it would be a wonderful idea to have two separate dress codes with the Middle School being more gener neutral and the Upper School being more academically orientated.
Tracey: I hate to be an annoying parent but as a "parent", I am very much against separate dress codes. "Families" enter St. Luke's and as a "family" we embrace the values, traditions and missions of the school. These important traits should be consistently reinforced with the students and in my opinion, the message should not differ by age of the child. From a practical standpoint, I can also see morning battles in households if children have different dress requirements. "It's not fair" will be the phrase of the day. I already hear this from my boys when they see how my daughter dresses for school. I really think the message to "families" has to be consistent.